def _create_ui(self):
        '''
        Creates the ui for the source and saves the important widgets onto
        properties.
        '''
        print("CoverArtBrowser DEBUG - _create_ui")

        # dialog has not been created so lets do so.
        cl = CoverLocale()
        ui = Gtk.Builder()
        ui.set_translation_domain(cl.Locale.LOCALE_DOMAIN)
        ui.add_from_file(
            rb.find_plugin_file(self.plugin, 'ui/coverart_browser.ui'))
        ui.connect_signals(self)

        # load the page and put it in the source
        self.page = ui.get_object('main_box')
        self.pack_start(self.page, True, True, 0)

        # get widgets for main icon-view
        self.status_label = ui.get_object('status_label')
        window = ui.get_object('scrolled_window')

        self.viewmgr = ViewManager(self, window)

        # get widgets for the artist paned
        self.artist_paned = ui.get_object('vertical_paned')
        Gdk.threads_add_timeout(GLib.PRIORITY_DEFAULT_IDLE, 50,
                                self._change_artist_paned_pos,
                                self.viewmgr.view_name)
        self.viewmgr.connect('new-view', self.on_view_changed)
        self.artist_treeview = ui.get_object('artist_treeview')
        self.artist_scrolledwindow = ui.get_object('artist_scrolledwindow')

        # define menu's
        self.popup_menu = Menu(self.plugin, self.shell)
        self.popup_menu.load_from_file('ui/coverart_browser_pop_rb2.ui',
                                       'ui/coverart_browser_pop_rb3.ui')
        self._external_plugins = None

        signals = \
            { 'play_album_menu_item': self.play_album_menu_item_callback,
              'queue_album_menu_item': self.queue_album_menu_item_callback,
              'new_playlist': self.add_playlist_menu_item_callback,
              'cover_search_menu_item': self.cover_search_menu_item_callback,
              'export_embed_menu_item': self.export_embed_menu_item_callback,
              'show_properties_menu_item': self.show_properties_menu_item_callback,
              'play_similar_artist_menu_item': self.play_similar_artist_menu_item_callback}

        self.popup_menu.connect_signals(signals)
        self.popup_menu.connect('pre-popup', self.add_external_menu)

        self.status_label = ui.get_object('status_label')
        self.request_status_box = ui.get_object('request_status_box')
        self.request_spinner = ui.get_object('request_spinner')
        self.request_statusbar = ui.get_object('request_statusbar')
        self.request_cancel_button = ui.get_object('request_cancel_button')
        self.paned = ui.get_object('paned')
        self.notebook = ui.get_object('bottom_notebook')

        #---- set up info pane -----#
        info_scrolled_window = ui.get_object('info_scrolled_window')
        info_button_box = ui.get_object('info_button_box')
        artist_info_paned = ui.get_object('vertical_info_paned')

        self.artist_info = ArtistInfoPane(info_button_box,
                                          info_scrolled_window,
                                          artist_info_paned, self)

        # quick search
        self.quick_search = ui.get_object('quick_search_entry')

        print("CoverArtBrowser DEBUG - end _create_ui")